Horse-releaser.



c. SOWARDS. HORSE RELEASER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7, 1910.

9 9 Patented Manfz', 1911.

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HORSE-RELEASER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES SowARDs, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Marinette, in the county of Marinette and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Horse-Releasers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to horse releasing devices especially adapted for use in connection with double teams, and the principal object of the same is to provide novel means which are carried by a vehicle tongue for normally holding the usual double-tree in proper position, but which may be operated from a vehicle to release the double-tree so that the draft animals will be freed. In connection with the foregoing the invention also contemplates a novel hold-back attachment for the tongue which will readily permit the neck yoke to be released by a forward movement of the draft animals relative to the said tongue.

In carrying out the objects of the invention generally stated above it will be understood of course, that the essential features thereof are necessarily susceptible of changes in details and structural arrangements, one preferred and practical embodiment of which is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of a vehicle equipped with the improved releasing device. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a tongue showing a double-tree and a neck yoke held thereon by the improved releaser. Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation partly in section, thereof. Fig. 4 is an inverted fragmentary detail view of the bottom of a vehicle showing the means for operating the releaser. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the double-tree holder. Fig. 6 is an inverted plan viewv of a latch forming a part of this invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals, 1 designates a vehicle body and 2 the tongue thereof which may be of the usual or any preferred type.

The improved releaser which has been shown in connection with the body 1 and tongue 2, comprises a plate 3 that overlaps the top and the longitudinal sides of the tongue 2 and is rigidly held thereon by the bolts 4 or other fastening means. The rear end of the upper portion of plate 3 has a Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 7, 1910.

Patented Mar. 7, 1811. Serial No. 565,651.

provided with a central longitudinal slot 9 extending from the free end of said top and bottom. Said slots receive upper and lower portions of a pivot bolt 10 carried by the double-tree 11 that passes transversely through said housing 8. It will be clear from the foregoing that housing 8 may be rocked to an inverted position upon plate 3 as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3 so that the double-tree will readily slide therefrom.

The housing 8 is normally retained in position to prevent a rocking movement thereof by means of a spring latch that is carried by the tongue 2, said latch comprising a plate 12 that transversely overlaps the tongue 2 adjacent the rear end of housing 8 and is bolted or otherwise rigidly fastened thereon. Said plate is provided with forward and rear upstanding flanges 13 which are connected by the parallel guide casings 14 through which the legs 15 of the U-shaped locking bolt 16 are slidable. A spring 17 is coiled about each leg 15 within the casings 14 and is constantly exerting a pressure on said legs that forces the free ends thereof beyond the forward flange 13 and into overlapping binding engagement with the free end of the bottom of housing 8 to prevent pivotal movement of said housing.

A lever 18 has one end pivotally mounted on the under surface of the bottom of the body 1 of the vehicle, said lever being provided with an intermediate eye 19 that has a cable connection 20 with the rear end of the locking bolt 16. The free portion of said lever extends through a guide loop 21 carried by the bottom of the vehicle and projects beyond one side of the body 1 and terminates in an eye 21. A hand lever 22 has an intermediate pivotal connection 23 with one side of the body 1, the lower end 24 of said lever being reduced and rounded and extending through eye 21 of lever 18. The upper portion of lever 22 passes through a guide loop 25 and terminates in a handgrip 26. The guide loop 25 is provided with ratchet teeth 27 for holding lever 22 in the desired position, as shown in Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings.

The forward end of the tongue 2 has a pendent holdback 28 on its bottom surface, said holdback being preferably formed of a single length of rod material that is provided with an abutment shoulder 29 for the ring 30 that is slidably fitted over the forward end of said tongue and has the usual flexible connection 31 with a neck yoke 32. Shoulder 29 obviously limits the rearward longitudinal movement of ring 30 on tongue 2. Said ring 30 is loose on tongue 2 and in the event of the draft animals being released from the vehicle, as will be described, the forward movements of said animals relative to said tongue will cause said ring to slide over the end thereof.

From the foregoing it will be seen that with the parts of the invention in the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the double-tree 11 will be supported by the housing 8 in the proper position to permit the animals to draw the vehicle, the necessary pivotal movements of said double-tree being permitted by the engagement of the bolt 10 with the slots 9 of said housing. lVhen necessary to release the animals, hand lever 22 is rocked forward which similarly actuates lever 18 and causes cable 20 to slide locking bolt 16 from engagement with the bottom of housing 8, whereupon the strain of the animals upon said housing will rock the same to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 3 so that the double-tree 11 and pivot bolt 10 will freely slide from said housing. And as the neck yoke will be readily freed from the tongue 2 by a forward movement relative to said tongue, the animals will be released from the vehicle.

hat I claim as my invention is 1. A horse releaser comprising a tongue plate, a double-tree housing hinged thereto and provided with an open rear end, and top and bottom slots for the reception of a double-tree pivot, and from which said pivot slides during the releasing action, means for normally locking said housing against pivotal movement, and mechanism operable from a vehicle for releasing said locking means.

2. A horse releaser comprising a tongue plate, a housing hinged to said plate and provided with open sides and an open rear end, said housing adapted for the reception of a double-tree and provided with upper and lower slots for the reception of a pivot bolt of said double-tree, and from which said pivot slides during the releasing action, looking means for preventing movement of said housing relative to said plate, and mechanism for releasing said locking means.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES SOXVARDS.

Witnesses JAMES VAN CAMP, LILLIAN E. CARLSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents, Washington, D. C. 

